And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. ~Romans 8.23

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28 September 2008

On the 19th of August, I believe it was, my country, Zambia, got a shock. Well it wasn't much of a shock come to think of it. Our president had died. He had been admitted to a hospital in France after suffering a stroke. The people where totally confused not knowing what to do or expect. We didn't know whether the leaders of the nation where giving us the truth. Some said the president was already dead, others said he would recover and come back. Still others said even if he did recover he would have to step down for health reasons. Well the on the 19th, the vice president announced on public television that the president had passed away that very day. His name was Levy Patrick Mwanawasa.

Well a few days after burying the president he, yes the president himself, appeared on national television to bid farewell to the Zambian people! He further went on or rather, he went on further to thank those who attended his burial. It was pretty freaky. Below is a transcript of the message he delivered to the nation:

“It is my wish that this Will is broadcast both on television and radio…I now want to address the nation.“I am grateful to all of you for giving me the opportunity during part of my life to serve you as President. It was a privilege which I cherished up to my death. I did all my best to improve the standards of living of you my people. I strove to attend to the production of sufficient food for domestic consumption and for export. I worked hard to encourage investments, both local and foreign, so as to create jobs and so as to enhance the growth of our economy.“I believed that national development could only be sustained if good governance, respect for the rule of law and democracy were encouraged and not taken for granted. To spur these virtues, the fight against corruption had to be waged relentlessly and without treating anybody as a sacred cow.“I regret that in my zeal to facilitate this fight, I lost friendship with a number of some of my best friends and at many times my own life and that of my family members were threatened. I want to assure the nation that no malice or ill will was intended in these initiatives.“I was driven purely by love for my country and the urgent need to transform it from poverty to prosperity. I have always been grieved to see so much poverty, hopelessness and anguish in the faces of our children, the leaders of tomorrow. It has always been my belief that nobody has the right to take away what we should be giving to these children and keep them in their selfish pockets.“I do hope that the party, the Movement for Multiparty Democracy, can continue with this vision for our nation pursuing the fight of zero tolerance to corruption.“I was sad when some of you our members appeared to embrace corruption and actually criticised me for fighting the scourge. This vice will not develop our country.“It is my desire that all future governments will continue to wage this fight.“If in my endeavors to provide only the best for my country I offended some of my compatriots, all I can ask is that they should find a place in their hearts to forgive me as no deliberate intentions to harm their feelings without just cause was intended.“To those who attended my funeral and to those who mourned with my family, I say I am extremely grateful to all of you. I am certain that I speak on behalf of my family that their burden has thereby been lightened.“In witness whereof, I, the said Levy Patrick Mwanawasa have hereto set my hand this 23rd day of March, 2005 and I have signed this Will as my last Will in the presence of my two chief personal secretaries: Brandina Nyendwa and Josephine Shakabinga.

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I never really thought much of Mwanawasa, I was out of the country for about two years and can see a considerable improvement. He did a great job. I think he is the best president we have ever had. We have only had 3 presidents. The other two, left the country in a poorer state than they found it. Mwanawasa is the only president who has done the opposite.

Mwanawasa was is probably in heaven. I never knew the man ofcourse(!) but;

1) Any man who leaves a message thanking people for attending his funeral, obviously knows he is about to die.

2) Any man who knows he is about to die and decides to pre-record a message of thanks and gratitude to be delivered upon his burial is not scared of death. If he was scared of death he'd be too worried about dying to bother leaving a message of thanks.

3) Any man who does not fear death, obviously, at the least, has some assurance that he is going to a place where he will be not be sad. Such a man would probably believe he is going to be fine after death.

4) Since Mwanawasa professed faith and was publicly baptised, he must have been saved. Putting one and one together, leaves me no other solution. He had no fear of death, typical of one who know Jesus Christ as Lord and saviour. To the one who knows Jesus personally, death has lost its sting, 1 Corinthians 15:55.

17 September 2008

People who suffer addictions tend to be in denial of there problem. They will finally admit they have a problem when they hit rock bottom. Alcoholics will admit there problem when they wake up one morning next to trash can or in a pit with no idea where they are. Food addicts (I don’t know there technical name!) will admit they have a problem when on there first day, just after the semester break, they go to there college or university and can’t fit in there desk anymore. Well I also hit rock bottom this morning, I kinda knew I had a problem but then I kinda didn’t (makes sense?). I wouldn’t call my case an addiction per say but it is very much a problem.

Every Monday I get money for school-enough for the week. Well this week it was all gone by Tuesday evening! I thought I’d get some cash on Tuesday night and that’s what gave me enough nerve to clear what little was left of my week’s money. Well as the Lord would have it I didn’t get the cash I thought I’d get. This morning (Wednesday), I woke up with no money at all. As is usually the case, I had false sense of surety, no worry at all because (again, as is usually the case), I had a plan:

I’d lend enough bus money to get me to school, atleast, from someone at home, ofcourse not my Mom who wouldn’t be impressed, and then I’d borrow some money from a school mate for the rest of the week. Well things didn’t go according to plan. No one at home was willing to give me any money(!) and my pride would not allow me to beg. My brother told me I had gained “a bad reputation”, with paying money back, in the house. I tried my cousin and she refused with an unconvincing reason but as I said, I was willing to do almost a lot of things to get some cash but begging was not one of them. I tried my other cousin who had just got some money and he bluntly refused. I couldn’t believe it. I had no money and my plan B had failed terribly. I was supposed to be in class in 40 minutes! With a lot of desperation the thought crossed my mind to ask a certain older friend for money. He works right across from home. When that thought crossed my mind, it hit me. I had been brought to my knees. 3 days of school left and not a cent on me, no one willing to lend me any money, the thought of stooping so low as to ask for money from someone else.

It reminded me of the prodigal son who had reached the end of his rope such that he considered satisfying is hunger by eating the food for the swine he “herded”. Its not that I think too highly of myself to ask for money but the relationship that I had with my older friend who worked across from my home wasn’t the kind where we asked each other for money (I hope you see what I mean am at a loss for words…). Anyway, I made it to school by God’s grace, lets just say I “borrowed” some cash and made sure it was returned the second I got home!

Today’s experience has confirmed to me that I have a serious problem when it comes to spending. I am a reckless spender. This problem as I foresee it can grow to a point where it brings disaster on my finances when I am independent. People who find themselves in heavy debt start out exactly the same way. The problem grows as it continues to go unattended. Thankfully for me, I have a God who has loved me enough to show me this potentially serious problem early on. Thankfully, this same God is my father. I have a personal and living relationship with him. He isn’t just a name to me; he is so, so much more. Thankfully he is greater than any addiction, problem or anything else and with his help, I can be set free of my problem if only I take it to him in sincere prayer. Father God, I thankyou for you.

15 September 2008

I have been doing some thinking over the past few days. My conscience and I have come to an understanding.

About a week ago, I came across “blog-spot” on my cellphone while surfing my dad’s website and decided to create a blog of my own because I thought it would be like having my very own website (I still feel that way!), anyway I made me a blog and left it at that. Not long afterward I came across another individual’s blog who was really using her apparent gift/passion of/for writing. I immediately thought of a friend who also had a gift of writing (not really a passion for it though), and thought I’d make her a blog and tell her to start using it in the same way. Anyway today I was thinking that I too should utilize my blog likewise but wondered what my motive was. Here is more or less the discussion, Me, Myself, and I had with my conscience:

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Myself: I think I will use my blog like Miss Baucham does.

Conscience: Why? What is you motive?

Me: I don’t know, who cares?

Conscience: Me.

Conscience: You want to utilize you blog because you have seen how successful Miss Baucham's blog is, isn’t it?

I: Well… umm… mmm… well…. uhhh….

Conscience: If your motive in utilizing your blog, in exactly the same way, is merely to achieve the success of Miss Baucham's blog, it would be wrong. I (your conscience) will not be clear (And you know what that means!). Look, go ahead and do what you want to but, ensure you motives glorify the lord.

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After doing a lot of soul searching and thinking, I have a couple of reasons or motives for using my blog in the same way that Jasmine (Miss Baucham) does:

I should go ahead with the idea because, I think(!) I would enjoy writing my thoughts, feelings, experiences etc, alot. I think it would be a good alternative to sitting infront of the television or any other non-beneficial things.

I should go ahead with the idea because God is showing and teaching me so many thing, I can’t store them all in my head, a blog would be a good way to pen down those lessons.

I really doubt anyone at all will read or follow this blog, but if by some remote chance, and I mean REMOTE(!)… I don’t think you understand, RRRREEEMMMOOOOTTTTEEE!!!! chance, I would simply be ecstatic if that person benefitted in any way from this blog. Not that I am a fountain of knowledge or anything but the lord does teach his children and I would love to share what he has and is still teaching me!

I wouldn’t really say God has given me a gift to write because I don’t really think I’m good at it but I enjoy it thoroughly and so this would be an excellent past time.

Lastly I will share here a lot about what is going on in my life, I am not really excited about that but I guess it would be a great archive which I can re-read when I am living on my farm in retirement and have either nothing to do or everything to do but no strength to do it!

Well these reasons have put my conscience at ease.

Ofcourse one must give credit where it is due, I have been inspired to use this blog by Jasmine Baucham. Check out her great site at “joyfullyathome.blogspot.com”.

About Me

For in my inner self I joyfully agree with God’s law. But I see a different law in the parts of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this dying body? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord...!
~Romans 7